When your friends and family give up an entire day or weekend to help you move, simply saying “Thank you” does not seem like enough to show your gratitude. The effort involved in moving is worthy of a little bit more than words regarding showing appreciation. There are several ways you can say thank you for letting them know you appreciate their time and effort in helping you relocate to a new home.
Here are a few ways to properly thank friends, family, and movers when moving cross-country.
1. Always Offer To Drive
When moving from one house to another, the trips between locations is a good time to take a minute to rest. If you are making your helpers do the driving, however, they are not able to take a few minutes to search social media and relax. If you offer to do the driving, you can allow them to rest, and you will cover all costs associated with gas.
2. Gift Cards
Have you ever been upset upon getting a gift card as a gift? Chances are you haven’t, as long as they are to places you frequently visit. Make sure to take note of your helper’s favorite places and give them a gift card to show your appreciation. If you are buying for a moving company and are unsure where they like to shop, try a visa gift card where they can use it anywhere.
3. Return The Favor
If your friend or family member is about to embark on a move themselves, be the first one to offer your time to help them. If they are not moving, you can always offer to house sit or dog sit while they go on their next vacation. Sharing favors will help make everyone feel appreciated and allow you an opportunity to serve others, but never accept a favor with the expectation of something in return.
4. A Fun Evening
A fun way to thank someone for their time in helping you move is to treat them to a night on the town, a cooking class or tickets to a concert or sporting event.
5. Write A Note
In today’s world of social media and smartphones, it is not common to receive a personalized, handwritten thank you note in the mail. Taking the time to write a letter to your helpers will make them feel valued and special.
6. Let Your Friends Shop In Your Storage Unit
When you move to a new house, you usually put a lot of things into a storage unit or get rid of things in a garage sale. Instead of getting rid of valuable items, offer them to your friends that are helping you move. They may find your garbage to be their hidden treasure. With a little chalk paint, they can transform it into a beautiful piece in their own home.
Other ways to help your friends feel appreciated for helping you move may include offering to clean their house, having beverages available for staying hydrated, offering pizza or another form of free lunch, or simply having your belongings properly labeled and ready for an easy move. Take the time to think about what your movers would want to feel appreciated for all of the hard work they put into making your move a success and give them just that.